Escrow-Fraud.com Forums

by **oneperson** » Thu May 29, 2008 9:36 am

Hello,

on my search for a motorcycle (outside Ebay) I ended up finding one for a pretty good price. I emailed the seller martinsonya43@gmail.com and she explained that she would sell it cheap because she just finished divorce with her husband and wouldn't need it, and she said for the payment she requests a secure payment option through Ebay services because she would be affiliated with Ebay. Stated that the bike was supposedly located about three hours from me, I asked if I could go pick it up and give her the money in person. She responded that she had already submitted the bike to the shipping company and she was very busy with her job and currently out of town.
She asked for my info (name and address) so she could "forward" it to Ebay and the process could be started, then i would get an invoice from Ebay after that.
I received two Emails from "Ebay", one was the invoice supposedly coming from Ebay Safeharbor department, the other one was supposedly from Ebay Motors purchase protection, both came from this Emailaddress: eBay@usa-vehicle-protection.net
These Emails looked pretty much just like a real Email from Ebay (used the Logo, had links to Ebay, etc.) But I got suspicious when I opened a separate "real" Ebay website Ebay motors purchase protection, which had a different amount of coverage stated than what I had read in the spoof email.
Also, in the Email was said that the lady would be "an Ebay member in good standing", "meet strict membership criteria" and "Buyer [my name] should feel confident purchasing from eBay Member Sonya Martin.
eBay Member Sonya Martin has been verified by eBay Safeharbor Team and is committed to customer satisfaction and resolving disputes via mediation." The payment was to be made via MONEYGRAM only.
Seller information and recipient of payment information were not the same. I could not get any results by searching the lady's name and/or address. But searching for the recipient's name/address I found the following:

"User Reviews for E Bay Incorporated (found this review written on http://siliconvalley.citysearch.com/review/1112995)

eBay look-alike SCAM! 05/13/2008 Posted by bowlingball2008

TOTAL SCAM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! don't use. this guy will screw you over. luckily, the REAL eBay helped me reocgnize as the SCAM that it is. HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!! BE CAREFUL! this guy will send you legit-looking emails and have you send money via moneygram. DON'T DO IT!"

The guy's name and address is as follows:
First Name: Fernando
Last Name: Rivas
Street: 2145 Hamilton Avenue
City: San Jose, California
Zip Code: 95125
Country: United States

I forwarded both Emails I received from the fake "Ebay" to spoof@ebay.com and got response within a few minutes - both sites are SPOOF!

Just wanted to let you all know! Be careful!

by **oneperson** » Thu May 29, 2008 6:35 pm

Beware!

cadnavaro@gmail.com

The exact same email ("sell bike cheap after got divorced from husband and don't need it"... etc.etc.)

This time I knew! :twisted:

by **peg** » Fri May 30, 2008 12:31 am

Thanks for bringing them to our attention... What are the exact web addresses?

by **georg** » Sat May 31, 2008 3:35 pm

peg wrote:What are the exact web addresses?

make a offer via scambaiting here..
http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/mcy/696617956.html
then he will say the fake-“transportation company" :twisted:

by **paulus** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 12:59 am

Unfortunately I fell for this scam to the tune of $2200. Anyone have any suggestions about possible remedies to take?

by **lightfair** » Sun Jul 06, 2008 9:46 pm

paulus:

In case you haven't done so yet you should contact the appropriate law enforcement agency and provide them with all the details.

You might also want to post a few additional details here; for example the web site (of there was one involved) and so on.

by **paulus** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 3:24 pm

Needless to say I will be busy contacting whatever agency I can to create a record so that this person eventually goes to jail. Regarding your suggestion relating to describing URL contacts:

The email originally used to reply to me by the "seller" was Jessica McQuay [jessica.jessiemcquay@gmail.com].

The email from the "ebay safe harbor team" came from "ebay@usa-vehicle-protection.net"

The individual who acted as the ebay escrow representative (i.e., the person who got the Moneygram) was named Russell Kim. A phony address identical to that of Ebay's San Jose address was used.

Today I will contact MoneyGram to see if a picture or other registration process would have Russell Kim available.

Thanks.

by **paulus** » Mon Jul 07, 2008 4:59 pm

After talking with MoneyGram it is clear they knowingly facilitate scammers.

by **KCRita80** » Fri Mar 20, 2009 4:52 am

Hi there...Just wanted to say this scam is still circulating around. They must be taking it internationally all the way to our local websites in Australia. They tried to scam me to buy a Nissan DCi 2.5 nice car for AUS$8,000. same payment method secure payment with eBay, same type of e-mail, she said she was fininshing her divorce, the car was located in Perth, WA and then I was told on the next e-mail that she had left the country due to her divorce and was living with her parents in New York, and that i should make the payment of $5,000 so she could get it shipped from Darwin. But she had told me in the first e-mail it was $8,000. All these locations had astrex near them which simulates that they put these locations in themselves so they can't be detected.\ or they have a computer system that does this. The person in question for this is Gabrielle Dawson. Beware of e-mail address <35gabrielle@gmail.com> So i sent an e-mail after she was determined to get my details full name saying; SORRY BUT I THINK THIS IS A SCAM....YOU YHOUGHT YOU COULD TRICK ME HAHAHA. :!: